fessions of the Historian are non-tinuous pseudo chapters that feature a timeframe far removed from the main story. They will not affect the main story’s update schedule, and will instead be uploaded at random intervals alongside them.
Ep 102. fessions of the Historian: Problem Child
A problem child is defined not by themselves, but by the world around them.
When the child fails to meet the expectations of those around them, they are thereby regarded to be a defect, possessing a problem in one or more aspects. From birth, children are predicted of their future; the closehey share to their predicted selves is what dictates how they are viewed.
An expectation to look a certain way; an expectation to learain things; an expectation to behave iain ways. The areas are endless, and reasons likewise eard a child as problematic.
…You were expected to fall, drowning in misery of your hopeless future. You were to bee the lowest of your kind, forever to remain alone and behind.
As, you failed to meet this expectation.
And that was reason enough for others tard you as a problem.
? ? ?
“Xar. You took lohan I’d expected.”
“…My apologies.”
“Nothing to apologize for. It wasn’t too difficult here, anyhow.”
“…”
Xar emptily stared into the barren ndscape stretg before them. The flourishing valleys had turned barren over a single night, the only saving grace the ck of disc on the soil they stood on.
And standing beside the Akeian ander was the empire’s only emperor, triumphantly holding up the prize he’d e for between his fingers. A small, golden jewel of the wooden ring reflected the dawning sunlight.
“…I take it you didn’t use true magic.”
“Why? So you could learn it?”
“…”
After a momentary pause, the emperor burst into ughter. Even though he couldn’t read Xar’s expression, it was easy enough to guess at what he was thinking at times.
“I kid. There was simply no he dragons weren’t as big an obstacle as I thought they’d be. Many were busy running away instead of fighting. And it wouldn’t do to destroy their invaluable remains.”
“…But then, the reason behind experimenting with the dragonkin’s weakness was…”
“Amusing, wasn’t it?”
“…?”
After fitting the ring around his fihe emperor turo his ander, shrugging.
“I’m not very fond of them, Xar – dragons, elves, what have you. I could never get used to their undeserved, mighty attitude. Blindly believing themselves to be the superior rad look where that got them.”
“…”
Amadeus Lavnore. An individual said to be the greatest mage to ever walk the star, but also to be the worst mage to ever be born.
After the birth of his empire, Lavnore became the first ruler to be of a mage background. However, the man possessed her prudenrace: qualities that were thought to be a given amongst all wielders of magic. Due to the emperor’s uioned rule and inparable strength, it didn’t take long until he was called a dictator, not just of his own empire, but of the ti itself.
Even though he was barely of age, aainly not at ao be regarded as king.
“Speaking of…Xar, what of the keepers’ remains?”
“…I left them be?”
“That won’t do. Look, ’t you see all those soldiers w away to fit those sliced dragons into their iories?”
“…”
“I realize they won’t be as valuable given they died in their reduced forms, but you never know when we’ll need such spe. Go retrieve them both.”
“…Their daughter should still be with them.”
“So? Kill her then.”
“…As I recall, you promised that the hatg would be spared.”
“I did. You did not.”
“…?”
“Kill the offspring arieve the bodies, Xar. Apparently, those three were the st of the steel dragons – it wouldn’t be bad to end their legacy here altogether.”
Though Xar inteo respond against the idea, the emperor’s cold gaze clearly stated that the matter was not for discussion.
And finally, the ander let out a surrendering sigh. The choice wasn’t his to begin with.
“…As you wish, your majesty.”
? ? ?
When Xar lowered his gaze, the two steel dragons were lying on the ground, just as they had when he’d left them. Their hatg was also above her mother just as he’d left her, asleep after exhausting herself fr.
“…Hm.”
No ravens had e to peck away the dead; no wolves had e to feast on the bodies; non had e to save the remaining child. Not a single life had e prior to the ander’s return.
‘They already take you for dead, don’t they.’
When the aretched out his hand towards the small dragon, she held tighter onto her mother’s body, feeling the approag threat even in her unscious.
Xar frow the sight of her little hands desperately ging to the lifeless body.
“…”
There was no reason to keep this hatg alive, especially if her own kin had given up on her. Especially when sidering how problematic steel dragons could be when fully grown.
But instead of ing here himself, the emperor had elected to send Xar. Alo that.
versely, that meant the man cared little for what the ander actually did here.
“…I suppose we’ll be enemies when we meet again.”
When Xar loosened his arm to carefully it around the hatg, Raizel’s body eased noticeably as she was lifted off from her mother’s corpse. The sight of hatg’s ease viciously g the ander’s sce.
He turned his head, sing the valleys stretg behind them.
‘If they’d run away, then they’d be at…’
? ? ?
“Is that everyone? I’d better hurry ba-“
“Hold, Bruton.”
The bck dragon turned his head when he felt his friend grabbing his shoulder. They were shaking their head, pulling him back from taking off into the air.
“…It’s too te. You know it just as well as I do.”
“…”
Fresh blood spilt from Bruton’s bitten lips. Even though it’d been for the sake of proteg the fleeing children, he couldn’t rid himself of the feeling he’d just abandoned his rades to save his own life.
“But…”
“It’s useless, my friend. Think how sad Aether will be when you’re not there to raise your newborn.”
“…Right…”
The bck drago out a long sigh, turning around to return and joihers. But just as he did so, a cold, freezing breeze brushed past his wings from behind.
The bck dragon immediately tensed, swinging his arm coated in fmes. But where he’d expected ao be, nothing was behind him.
Or, to be more specifiething was behind him. It was just too small for him to see immediately.
“…What was that? The wind just now, that was-”
“Brutoh you…”
Whewo elders lowered their gaze, a sleeping hatg came to sight, her little tail coiled around her snout. She seemed to be whimpering, but her could make out what she was saying in her sleep.
“Raizel? How is she still…?”
“L, let us make haste! We ’t afford to keep a child out here.”
“…R, right.”
Brutohe steel dragon in his arms, taking flight to return to where the remaining kin were. Though he didn’t know how she’d been able to appear behind him so suddenly, keeping the remaining children safe was their first and foremost .
And when he held her close, the old dragon could finally make out the hatg’s words.
“…I’m sorry. I won’t go out alone again…”
“…”
“…Don’t leave…”
? ? ?
Perhaps it was the very sympathy that bound you to the dead. Despite your iron will to move forward, others bound you to your loss, wishing you would sih their feet.
…
A small reition. A token of kindness. That was all that was o relieve you of your pains.
So turn away, and never look back.
Nothing sts but my own will. And so, you must leave them behind.
You ot take them with you.
Praybird
